Ceftizoxime sodium has a chemical name of sodium (6R,7R)-7-[2-(2-amino-thiazol-4-yl)-2-methoxyiminoacetylamino]-8-oxo-5-thia-1-azabicyclo[4.2.0]oct-2-ene-2-carboxylic acid with synonyms such as Cefizox. Epocelin and so on. It has a chemical formula of C13H12N5NaO5S2 with a molecular weight of 405.38. The content of Ceftizoxime should not less than 85.0% based on anhydrous substances. The structural formula is

Ceftizoxime sodium is the third-generation cephalosporin with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and has the stability against broad-spectrum β-lactamases (including Penicillinase and Cephalosporinase) generated by many gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria. Ceftizoxime sodium has strong antibacterial activity against Enterobacteriaceae bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, proteuspneumonia, and pseudomonas such as pseudomonas aeruginosa and acinetobacter is not sensitive to Ceftizoxime sodium. Ceftizoxime sodium has excellent antibacterial activity against Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and is not as good as first- and second-generation cephalosporin in the activity against Staphyloccocus aureus Rosenbach and staphylococcus epidermidis. The meticillin-resistant-Staphylococcus aureus and enterococcus are resistant to Ceftizoxime sodium, and verious Streptococcus are highly sensitive to Ceftizoxime sodium. Anaerobicbacteria, such as Peptococcus, Peptostreptococcus and some Bacteroides are sensitive to Ceftizoxime sodium, and clostridium difficile is resistant to Ceftizoxime sodium.
The Mechanism of Ceftizoxime sodium lies in that it inhibits biosynthesis of mucopeptide in bacterial cell wall to achieve a bactericidal effect. The indications mainly include infections induced by sensitive bacteria, such as lower respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, Abdominal infections, pelvic infections, septicemia, skin and soft tissue infections, bone and joint infections, meningitis and uncomplicated gonorrhea caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenzae. 
A number of references of patents and journals have reported processes for preparing and refining Ceftizoxime sodium.
Chinese patent application CN101671348A reports a process for synthesizing Ceftizoxime sodium, wherein 2-(2-formyl-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2-methoxyimino acetic acid is generated by reaction of Cefotaxime acid and formic acid, which is then reacted with 7-amino-3-none-3-cephem ring-4-carboxylic acid catalyzed by triphenyl phosphine oxide and triphosgene under stirring conditions to form Ceftizoxime sodium, after adjusting the pH value with an acid or a base. However, the yield and the purity of Ceftizoxime sodium prepared by this method are low.
3) The pH value of solution A is adjusted to 0.8˜1.2 by hydrochloric acid. Then the solution is filtered and the filtrate is collected to give solution B; 4) The pH value of solution B is adjusted to 1.3˜1.75 by a weakly basic solution. After complete crystallization under stirring, the solution is filtered and the resultant crystals are washed with water, to provide the refined Ceftizoxime sodium after vacuum drying. Although the purity of Ceftizoxime sodium is improved by this method, the inherent impurities in the drug substance are difficult to separate by simple reconciling with acids and bases, and additional external impurities may be introduced in the pH adjusting process, active carbon decolorization process and so on, thereby increasing the difficulties in separation.
Currently, Ceftizoxime sodium is manufactured mainly dependent on dispensing from imported raw material drugs by domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers. Although Ceftizoxime sodium is produced in China, however, both the yield and the product purity are still low.